Wisconsin’s Long-Term Care Workforce At Crisis Level
A coalition of Wisconsin health care organizations is warning that the state’s shortage of long-term care providers in the workforce continues to grow!
by Brady Carlson, Wisconsin Public Radio
“A coalition of Wisconsin health care organizations is warning that the state’s shortage of long-term care providers continues to grow. The study, put together by several groups across the state, says 1 in 5 direct caregiver positions in the state is going unfilled. That’s up from 1 in 7 positions in 2016. Starting wages in the profession are so low that many potential workers never apply, according to the report. The median hourly starting wage for personal caregivers is $10.75 an hour, according to the study, while other positions outside health care start at $12 an hour. The report found Wisconsin’s low rate of Medicaid reimbursement is a key factor keeping provider wages low.”
Why can’t the assisted living facilities, the home care agencies, the nursing homes pay more and hire the people they need? The answer is because so many care recipients did not plan to be able to pay for this care and went broke – ending up on a welfare program called Medicaid. Medicaid pays far less than the cost of your care. Thus the care providers cannot pay more for employees and end up short handed.
Do you want to search for a place to care for you? Do you want to depend on government welfare to pay for this? Do you think the government can fund all the care needed by the baby boomers who are turning 65 at a rate of 10,000 per day which will increase in the next seven years to 12,500 per day? Do you also believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny?
Or do you feel lucky today, perhaps you will never need care as you age (70% will per HHS). Personally I am hoping to be shot by a jealous husband at age 99, but I doubt that will happen. Thus I purchased LTC insurance way back when I was 52, in good health, and it was much less than if I waited until after 65.
I can now pay for whatever care I need. If I do not like the care I am getting, I can vote with my feet (or my wheelchair) and go to a place that can hire enough caregivers because I am paying what it costs for my care. I am pretty sure there will be others at the same facility, able to pay because they are extremely rich, or like I, they purchased LTC insurance.
What is your plan? If you don’t think you have a plan, you actually do – go broke and hope for the best on welfare (Medicaid). If you would like to investigate what plans can benefit you, contact the experts in LTC planning, not someone who dabbles, or also has a policy. Call www.TheLongTermCareGuy.com at 884-3030 and find out all the ways you can be taken care of, no matter your health or finances.
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